The Osteotoxicology Research Core is a new addition to the EHSC. The goal of this Core is to generate basic information on how environmental, occupational, and foreign agents adversely affect skeletal tissues, and how these effects impact quality of life. This proposed Core has five investigators, all of whom are new to the EHSC. The five major projects within the Core surround the themes of: 1) toxicology of the adult skeleton; 2) toxicology of the developing skeleton; and, 3) toxicological effects of metals in oral biology. Specifically, these projects include the following: 1) the effects of lead on bone remodeling in vitro (Dr. Puzas, with Drs. O?Keefe, Hicks, and Pounds); 2) animal models of lead-induced osteoporosis (Drs. Puzas and Pounds, with Dr. Cory-Slechta); 3) the effect of foreign wear debris in osteolysis around implants (Dr. O?Keefe, with Drs. Puzas and Hicks); 4) effect of lead on growth plate chondrocytes (Dr. Hicks, with Drs. Puzas, O?Keefe, and Cory-Slechta); 5) environmental influences of dental caries (Dr. Bowen, with Drs. Puzas, Pounds, Clarkson).